Story:The Star Wars MUSH Essential Chronology
The Star Wars MUSH Essential Chronology, or Modern Galactic History (as it is known in-universe), is an attempt to compile Star Wars MUSH's sixteen year history in a narrative format, weaving together the many plot lines, characters, and events in an in-universe perspective to give better understanding of events and to streamline everything under one article (and its subpages) so to make understanding the MUSH's history much easier. The Chronology is currently being written by Danik Kreldin. It is not final nor is it authoritative, nor is it canon. It will need to be approved by MUSH administrators before its contents can be considered in-universe and accepted by canon. The Chronology will follow MUSH history based on gathered documents, logs, and MUSH-based files, with some original story telling in order to expand on otherwise unknown events, which will obviously have to be approved before it's acceptable. Modern Galactic History: Life in the Post-Endor Galaxy by Voren Na'al, archivist of the Historical Council ''with contributions from Arhul Hextrophon, Master Historian of the Republic Published on Ord Mantell, 16 ABY Prologue The death of Emperor Palpatine and the defeat of the Imperial Military at the Battle of Endor promised to usher in a new era for the war-weary galaxy, an era of peace, prosperity, and a New Republic. When news of Palpatine's death reached the galaxy proper, the cry for peace bellowed out in a great uproar. Imperial overlords were overthrown, worlds pledged their allegiance to the New Republic and joined together in overthrowing the defeated Empire. The Empire would last no more than a few months, optimists cried, and peace and freedom would finally reach the weary citizenry. But these were the dreams of disillusioned, war-weary people. The death of Palpatine would not bring the promised peace and freedom. The galaxy would continue its maddening spiral into total war. The New Republic had been born, but the Empire was not yet ready to relinquish its power. Driven by madmen and demagogues, the Empire would continue its ravenous campaign to crush their usurpers and restore the control of the New Order over the galaxy. Chapter One Birth of a New Republic Within a week of their victory at Endor, the leaders of the Rebel Alliance established the Provisional Council. Led by Mon Mothma and including notable leaders such as Admiral Ackbar, Borsk Fey'lya, and Leia Organa, the Provisional Council's primary goal was to compose the "Declaration of a New Republic," the document that would establish the Republic as a legitimate government in galactic politics. As the politicians went to work on forming the document and winning over new member worlds, the military was hard at work in pushing forward the amazing advantage they achieved at Endor. Most of the military leadership were taken completely by surprise; the victory at Endor was more than what any thought possible. But Ackbar, the Alliance Supreme Commander, was a reasonable being and was wise enough not to declare full victory so soon. He knew that the only way to truly break the Empire's back was to claim the "Jewel of the Galaxy," Imperial Center, the capital of the Empire. The loss of Coruscant would deliver the killing blow to an empire that had already begun to fragment; Alliance spies reported daily to the war council that Imperial commanders were defecting and establishing themselves as rogue warlords. More dire for the Empire, an internal conflict was brewing over who would claim Palpatine's throne. Ackbar had to act fast and strike Coruscant as quick as possible, before the Empire was able to restore internal order and elect a new leader. The problem for the Alliance was a lack of supply and ships. The battle at Endor had put many ships out of commission or in the repair yards, while some were scrapped completely. The operation called for the speedy repair and restoration of all vessels. Ackbar pulled as many strings as he could to bring in more ships for combat and logistics. The Alliance received a much-welcomed surprise when three worlds along the Perlemian and within close proximity to Coruscant defected to the Alliance, offering whatever they could, from luxury liners to cargo haulers, to supplement the main Alliance fleet. Nevertheless, the Imperial defense fleet at Imperial Center was second-to-none; the Golan battlestations and Imperial Star Destroyers far outnumbered and overpowered the rag-tag Alliance military. Ackbar knew that success lie with the internal conflict brewing within the Empire, the disarray and confusion of its forces, and the poor leadership being exhibited from Imperial Center. Morale was soaring amongst the Alliance ranks and Ackbar knew it would not last for long; four weeks to the day from Endor, he gave the greenlight for Operation Bright Jewel, the invasion of Coruscant. As for the Empire, however... Within the dark recesses of the Imperial Palace, seat of the Imperial government, the power struggle over the vacant throne was in full-swing. Palpatine had not left any heirs as he never planned to leave his throne. The Imperial Ruling Council, the executive and legislative body of the Empire and led by Palpatine's Grand Vizier, Sate Pestage, saw to seat Pestage on the throne. His primary opposition came from Ysanne Isard, the ambitious Director of Imperial Intelligence, and various military commanders in Imperial High Command. Pestage had managed to win enough confidence from the military to secure a victory over Isard after she attempted a coup against the Ruling Council; she and her allies were rounded up and quickly executed as a show of force. Since Isard had been head of Imperial Intelligence, her coup and the agency's support of it greatly diminished Intelligence's reputation amongst the Imperial elite, leading to the subsequent downsizing of Imperial Intelligence and the greater emphasis placed on COMPNOR and its intelligence-security bureau, the Imperial Security Bureau, in later years. With Isard out of the way, Pestage's power hold grew stronger. After reports indicated that Imperial Center was the Alliance's next target, he gave Fleet Admiral Sinar Fenes control over the system's defense. But Pestage had overlooked Fenes' ambitions. The snarling Fleet Admiral had his own plans, of which the Ruling Council was eliminated and he was placed at the head of the Empire. Commanding one of the largest operational fleets in the Empire, his dreams were far from mad; when the attack on Imperial Center started, Fenes plan went into action. For one hour the Imperial and Alliance fleets engaged in battle as word of Fenes secret orders made it through the ranks; the ships under his direct command, comprising the Core Defense Fleet, had conspicuously stayed away from intensive fighting. To the surprise of the Alliance, and the Empire, a great portion of the Imperial Fleet vanished into hyperspace. Fenes had betrayed his Empire, sacrificing Imperial Center and the Ruling Council for what he believed to be the upper-hand. He predicted that without his support, the capital would fall and the Ruling Council, including Pestage, would be captured and dealt with by the Alliance. He would let the Alliance keep the capital and force them to deal with the massive load of governing a city-world comprised of hundreds of trillions of sentiments; he would focus on establishing his fiefdom and crafting his own Empire. Back on Coruscant, fighting was raging and had spread to the skylanes. The Imperial fleet had been all but vanquished before the day was over. The last few loyal remnants had deployed to a safe zone under orders from Pestage, forced to wait for evacuees, of which included Pestage and the Council. The problem for Pestage, however, lie with escaping besieged Coruscant. The Imperial Palace had been laid siege to over night, with Royal Guardsmen forming the bulk of defense. While the Empire had anticipated and prepared for urban warfare with the Alliance, it did not predict the uprising of thousands upon thousands of anti-Imperial citizens. In a repeat of the mass riots that had erupted hours after news of Palpatine's death, partisans rose from their shelters and homes to aid the Alliance in the liberation of Coruscant. The intensity and heroism of the battle was well caught by holonews reporter and his team, taking an image of Alliance Marines planting the Alliance flag atop a rooftop near the old Senate Rotunda. The feed of the image was displayed across Coruscant and seen by many Alliance soldiers, lifting morale and capturing people's hearts. With the walls closing in on Pestage and his Council, hope came at the last moment; escorted by [[ISD Tyrant|HIMS Tyrant]]'s Shadow Squadron, assault and transport shuttles commandeered by a CompForce unit, led by one Sergeant Trent Ceska, broke through Alliance front lines and managed to dock with the Imperial Palace. Pestage and the vast majority of the Council boarded the transports and quickly made way for space, where they went to rendezvous with the fleet-in-waiting. By this time Alliance control over Coruscant was becoming more and more certain. Entire sections of city were either under Alliance or partisan control. Three hours after the Council's daring escape, the Imperial Palace fell; every last Royal Guardsmen died in the siege, fighting to the bitter end, refusing to surrender. The toll had been high, but the Alliance achieved victory. Mon Mothma and the Provisional Council arrived on-planet to survey the damage and to issue their proclamation of the birth of the Republic. Entering the secured Senate Rotunda, Mon Mothma spoke before all of Coruscant, her speech covered by the Holonet, and announced total victory. The Republic had been established. Throughout Coruscant and on other Republic worlds, scores of freedom fighters and civilians cheered and celebrated. With a few days, the Declaration of a New Republic was finalized and issued, setting the foundation for government. The Provisional Council transformed into the New Republic Senate and the Inner Council, comprised of the top figures in the Republic hierarchy. The Republic received further requests for membership from free worlds and the military began a massive reorganization effort to adjust to its new role. The Empire, opposite to the Republic's astonishing victories, was facing a major crisis; Fenes was not the only commander to break from the Empire. He was joined by many more, including noteworthy Moffs and Grand Admirals. High Command was in shambles and military morale was at an all-time low. The Empire entered a stage known as the Post-Endor Imperial power struggle. The newly declared warlords were not content with sitting upon the territory they had already controlled, and struck out against rival warlords and legitimate Imperial holdings still under Council sovereignty. This power struggle would reduce the Empire's fighting capability and organization severely, limiting the Council from conducting a war against the Republic. Most Republic analysts and politicians saw no need to continue an aggressive war against the Empire; they saw fit to let the Imperials destroy themselves. Why waste credits, soldiers and resources on a campaign that would resolve itself in due time? So the Republic focused on granting new membership and firmly rooting its new government, as the Empire continued to wage war upon itself. This failure of foresight would come back to haunt the Republic in years to come: the Empire, while cornered and wounded, still possessed sharp teeth. Chapter Two The Imperial Fragmentation and the Economic Boon One of the first major actions of the renown post-Endor Imperial power struggle, sometimes erroneously referred to as a “civil war”, came within just months of the Imperial defeat at Coruscant. Warlord Fenes, operating his “Red Fleet“, the name for his armada, was prepared to execute the final stage of his coup. His armada entered O'Paali space and demanded the surrender of the Imperial garrison, based on the naval station, Guardian. Fenes sought to establish O’Paal as his base of operations and supplement his armada with the sizable fleet docked at Guardian. From O'paal he would expand along the strategic Tarkin Corridor, running from Byss in the Deep Core, through Selene, O'Paal, and Athaniss, and establish a firm hold in the Core. His ultimate objective was retaking Coruscant: he believed that it would be an easy target for a cohesive Imperial armada, especially now that the Republic fleet was in for repair and restoration after a lengthy and difficult campaign. His grand plan had hit a bump, however; he had planned on Pestage and the rest of the Council to be captured or killed in the fighting. However, they had escaped to distant Dreven, an Imperial fortress near the border with the Unknown Regions, where they established a government-in-exile known as the “Interim Ruling Council“ - more or less a continuation of the Imperial Ruling Council, but with new faces. This meant that the Empire still had a visible, operating governing body, a threat to an ambitious warlord such as Fenes. With the government on Dreven, disillusioned Imperial soldiers still had legitimate leaders to flock to; they might not be so willing to join hands with the likes of Fenes, who had left Coruscant to the Republic. But Fenes was not prepared to end his campaign over that fluke. His armada stood off against the O'Paali defenders, demanding their immediate surrender. The Imperial commander, Admiral Binjal, refused to give, having aligned with the Interim Ruling Council on Dreven. The resulting battle started in Fenes' favor, with Binjal losing a quarter of his fighting forces within the first two hours. Red Fleet Army commandos infiltrated Guardian to capture the command center and Binjal himself. The battle would have resulted in Fenes' victory if it were not for the timely arrival of reinforcements from nearby Selene under the command of Vice Admiral Kenjan Sekirol, a son of the infamous Sekirol military dynasty. The tide of battle quickly turned and a well-placed torpedo vaped the bridge of [[ISD Magus|HIMS Magus]], Fenes' flagship, killing the warlord and ending the battle. Red Fleet disengaged and routed, but only a handful of survivors actually escaped the system, where they would be mopped up in future operations. The victory at O'Paal was just one of few for Dreven. Within three months of the fall of Coruscant they had lost roughly eighty percent of their territory, a dramatic turn of events that seemed to signal the end of the New Order. The Council itself found itself mired in petty and internal division. They were unable to settle on a competent and efficient ruler to lead the Council. Pestage was voted down for appointing Fenes to defend Coruscant, and many were suspicious of Ars Dangor. Crueya Vandron was considered, but his close ties to COMPNOR scared many in the military. In the end, the Council decided to elect Jabir Tagger to the seat of authority. Jabir had been a High Admiral and commander of a large armada located in the Mid-Rim, but was one of the Imperials who “went warlord” in the wake of Palpatine's death. But after he learned of the Council's survival and new home on Dreven he offered his services, and that of his armada, in return for ruling the Council (and thus what remained of the Empire). The Council was obviously highly suspicious of Tagger, but ultimately resigned themselves to his leadership in order to win over his armada. Tagger was adamant on reclaiming Coruscant and pushing the Republic back before it was able to fully call upon its new resources. The window of opportunity, he declared, was closing all-too soon. He hoped a victory at Coruscant might help cement his leadership and help rein back in the other dissidents and would-be warlords. With two weeks worth of preparation, Tagger set in motion his plan for the counter-invasion of Coruscant. From shipyards at Dreven, Yaga Minor and Sartinaynian, the Imperial fleet converged and set forth on the war path to Coruscant. The armada was dubbed “Emperor's Pride Fleet” and boasted impressive firepower and starfighter support. But the armada was doomed from the start. New Republic Intelligence, evolved from old Alliance Intelligence, intercepted reports and communication regarding Tagger's plan. With some impressive spy work, agents ascertained the full extent of Tagger's battleplan. Ackbar responded by immediately rallying the fleet and setting forth to ambush Tagger. The plan was to ambush the Imperial armada at various junctions along the Perlemian, Tagger's invasion corridor, executing hit-and-run ambushes and withering the Imperial forces down well before they reached Coruscant. The first attack came at Bandomeer, where the armada stopped to re-supply and receive some reinforcements. Ackbar's fleet exited from hyperspace and fell upon the Imperials like hawks, dealing maximum damage as shields were down for re-supply operations. The attack was viciously successful. The Republic withdrew before the Imperials could muster a proper counter-attack. Tagger remained undeterred by the change of events and ordered the Emperor's Pride Fleet to continue on towards Coruscant. The rest of the journey only continued to plague the Empire; near-constant ambushes with use of gravity-well technology, the Republic utilizing hit-and-run ambushes that continued to weaken and demoralize the armada. By the time Tagger reached Coruscant his armada’s strength had been reduced by 40%, his combat efficiency and unit morale at severe low points. The final confrontation at Coruscant was short-lived. Tagger finally ordered the retreat back to Dreven, but not before he had lost most of his forces to his in competency and cunning Republic tactics. Only a third of what set out to Coruscant returned to Dreven intact. Tagger himself vanished; it has been speculated that he was assassinated by COMPNOR agents operating aboard his flagship, while others contend that he simply exiled himself, too ashamed with his defeat to return to Dreven to face for his failure. With their second victory at Coruscant, Republic leadership became confident that the Empire was at an end and they had little to fear from its remnants. They did dedicate a small force to root out an Imperial presence in the Kessel region, but overall the Republic ignored the Imperial threat, believing they would disappear once they were done killing each other. As the Empire withered away, the galaxy also underwent dramatic changes. The galactic economy was undergoing a major boon as entrepreneurs, free from the oppression of the Empire, set out to stake their own in the new marketplace. Consumers were up and spending, confident in the Republic, and new organizations and unions were forming all across free and Republic space. Although the New Republic treasury issued Republic credits, it never achieved the success the new government hoped; most civilians and institutions preferred a standard galactic credit, which even spread to the Empire. This era also saw the birth of the Caspian Democratic Union; after achieving independence from the Empire, Caspar, led by Dergan Roj, a former commander in the Alliance, established its own democratic government that spanned the entire Caspian system. This new government promised a safe haven from the perils of galactic war and conflict and opened its doors to entrepreneurs. Businesses began to flourish on Caspar, with some notable ones including FineLine Spaceways, founded by three ambitious businessmen, and SubPro, a major player in the shipwright industry which established a branch office on Caspar and used the system as a site for a major shipyard and port. Caspar eventually expanded to include Krittain, Yariz, Rauther and Mikassa. Roj himself died of Zithrom's disease, but his legacy lived on through the Union, which elected Wiltmer Gerrin as its first Presav. The Caspians were not the only new government to form in the wake of the Empire's defeat. Hermine Griffith, a General in the Alliance, led a group of disenfranchised soldiers to form the Griffon Alliance on isolated Cochran-de-la-Rhine. This government was built upon a strong foundation of military tradition and maintained close ties to the Republic, although it refrained from open alliance. It even went as far to keep the location of Cochran a secret from outsiders, instead operating through Pride-1, a space hub they constructed in the Scythia system. Pride-1 became a highly successful business venture and drew in tremendous volumes of trade and shipping, as it sat on a newly navigated hyperspace route called Tallon's Cut. Pride-1 helped fill the Griffon Alliance's pocket, allowing them to fund the start-up shipwright, Aeria Engineering Corporation, which provided the Griffons with unique starfighter and starship designs that formed the bulk of their military forces. Coruscant also flourished. The Republic instituted a massive effort to rid away traces of the Empire on the capital; Imperial flags were torn down, the Imperial Palace underwent a mass redecoration (to serve as the office of the Chief of State and other government officials), and streets were renamed. Strangely, officials decided to keep the name “Imperial Palace”; for some reason, the name lingered, for better or for worse. But things were good in the Republic. Worlds were entering into the Republic at a rate in which the Senate had a hard time keeping track. And in a highly publicized ceremony, Princess Leia Organa and General Han Solo, two of the heroes of the Rebellion, joined hands in marriage. The Republic Military also underwent a major reform. Its Navy was poorly maintained and most of its ships were still holdovers from the Rebellion: antiques, luxury liners, freighters, and more. With full-access to the Corellian and Mon Calamari shipyards, combined with their newfound resources, the Military instituted new designs, including the ''Republic''-class Star Destroyer. Life in the Corporate Sector also improved, for businessmen. The Authority was able to move out of the Empire’s shadow in the wake of the Empire’s power struggle, but the Direx vowed to uphold their deals with the Empire; but with the fear of the Imperial Military lessened they were able to open negotiations with the Republic and deal on their own terms. But professional businessmen weren’t the only ones to benefit from the Empire’s fall. So too did smugglers and pirates. With the space lanes free of Imperial patrols, a constant problem for smugglers under the Imperial era, these criminals were able to expand their trade and cash in. Note that at this time the Republic’s Military was still undergoing development and was incapable of patrolling the lanes to the extent the Empire did. The spice trade exploded, illegal substances cropping up across Republic and free space. Access to the Kessel mines, however, was still sealed off within the Kessel Redoubt, territory still under firm Imperial control. Chapter Three The Empire in Upheaval With Tagger gone the Empire was once more without firm leadership. Pestage suggested to choose a new leader from the military like Tagger, but one who was more controllable and would bend to the wishes of Pestage and his COMPNOR cabal, including Vandron and Ishin-Il-Raz. After an intense debate within the Council it was decided to make Connor Dobbs, a High General, the new leader. As the galaxy entered the new year the situation was looking desperately grim for the Empire. Many in the New Republic began to call it the “Imperial Remnant.” To add fuel to the fire, without wasting valuable military resources, the Republic mounted an intelligence campaign within remaining Imperial territory. Agents of the Republic cited anti-Imperial sentiment on planets such as Athaniss and Bilbringi, leading to mass freedom protests. Unfortunately for these souls, Imperial Stormtroopers were unforgiving in their response. Scores of protesters were indiscriminately slaughtered and many more imprisoned; some have argued that the former fate was a more desirable outcome, given what later occurred to the imprisoned protesters at ISB “re-education” camps on Selene. But Ackbar and the Republic security council continued to convince the Chief of State that direct military action was not necessary. In early 5 ABY the Imperial power struggle had grown immensely. Dozens of warlords ravaged Imperial territory and their own forces, slowly but surely bringing down the once great Imperial war machine. Once warlords had all but wiped themselves out, Republic relief forces moved into a system under their control and dealt with stragglers, ultimately pacifying the system and freeing it. Most of these world were then granted membership in the Republic at their request. Events further escalated with one Wyth Skellheim. One of Palpatine’s Hands during the Imperial era, Skellheim possessed great control in the Force and his arrival on Dreven in early 5 ABY shook the foundation of the Council. Having been so close to the Emperor, connected to his mind, even, Wyth was traumatized by the Emperor’s sudden death aboard the Death Star. His whereabouts throughout the rest of 4 ABY are unknown; some documents suggest he traveled to mysterious Korriban to immerse himself in the dark side. Regardless, he established his presence and authority immediately. He began his own “purge” within the ranks, first executing Dobbs to sever Pestage’s puppet regime, and then Grand Moff Gegoren Valance, whose mind was probed by Skellheim which revealed Valance’s intentions to kill Wyth in a surprise attack. Skellheim also promoted one Jon Christian Andrews to Grand Admiral in a move to block another Grand Admiral, the cunning Thrawn, from obtaining too much power. Thrawn was the only non-human on the Council and was a favorite of Palpatine, and his influence was far-spread. Most Councilmen knew to respect him. Wyth realized Thrawn’s importance in the war so refrained from outright executing the Chiss; instead, he used Andrews to throw a wrench in Thrawn’s ambitions, as Thrawn had been the only Grand Admiral who had not “gone warlord.“ Wyth settled on the throne of the Council and enacted his will. However, subsequent strange events would alter this arrangement. The exact details are sketchy, but uncovered documents discovered on Coruscant in 14 ABY, apparently moved there after the Imperial re-conquest in 9 ABY, suggest that Bacharan Valak, the future Emperor, had a hand in undermining Skellheim’s regime. Five months after taking the throne, Skellheim vanished without a trace. This left yet another power vacuum on Dreven. The uncovered documents suggest that Valak, a Sith Lord, incapacitated Skellheim and trapped him in a cage of Sith design. Valak, while secretly a Sith, was also a highly prominent member of the Ruling Council, and often regarded as one of the more powerful Imperial politicians. He had served as an Admiral in the Imperial Navy and, after the fall of Coruscant, was elevated to the post of Chief Naval Officer by Dobbs as a means to check Thrawn's growing power. According to the documents, Valak did away with Skellheim in order to undermine the Council, paving way for his own rise to power by eliminating potential threats such as Skellheim. And events proceeded according to this plan; with Skellheim removed the Council was in an uproar. With his caregiver gone, Andrews retired in order to escape Thrawn’s fury. Thrawn himself then initiated his own plan in conjunction with Gordio Dekan, Director of Imperial Intelligence. They attempted to install a puppet leader under their control, one Mavir Holger, a dullard Imperial Adviser whose sole purpose in life was to latch himself on to people with power. But their plan failed when Alaric Darkstar stepped into the picture. Darkstar was one of Palpatine’s Dark Side Adepts. He lurked within the shadows, watching events unfold and engineering others to his desire. The death of Palpatine had not affected him like his brethren, Skellheim, but it had left him without a source of guidance and knowledge. Still, what he had learned proved enough. He appeared before the Council in a surprise attack, slaying several Advisers and other potential threats. Pestage had met Darkstar earlier in the Dark Lord’s youth and knew well enough not to get in the man’s way; thus Pestage was saved from Darkstar's wrath. With Pestage and the surviving Councilmen bowing to Darkstar, Alaric took the throne for himself. He declared himself Emperor, but this act was mostly ignored by those outside the reach of the Interim Ruling Council. “Emperor” Darkstar even went as far to take on a wife, the teenager Juliet “Venus” Dekan, granddaughter of Gordio Dekan. Venus had previously been used by Dekan as a means of gaining support and favor; he gave his granddaughter to various Imperial High Command members and others on the Ruling Council in order to obtain his role as Director. Venus would eventually escape from her life of practical enslavement to the New Republic, only to return years later in the court of Emperor Valak. Darkstar's reign, however, would not go uncontested. Skellheim had returned. It is most likely that Valak released Skellheim in order to weaken Darkstar’s regime. In any case, Skellheim began his own revolt against Darkstar for control of the throne. Most of the Council remained loyal to Darkstar in fear of reprisal, although Skellheim was not without support, with such notable figures as Moff Tholn Galenx backing Wyth. The uprising ended with a fierce lightsaber duel in Castle Tsabak’s throne room between Skellheim and Darkstar. Skellheim was killed and his severed head displayed for the Council to see. But the whole situation resulted in a weakened hold for Darkstar. Councilmen already had their doubts about the “Emperor”, and after his war with Skellheim these doubts intensified. The Council lost several prominent figures in the wake of the Darkstar-Skellheim confrontation. Valak, ever scheming, departed from Dreven for Ord Trasi, his Sith temple world, where he intensified his studies into the dark side and grew stronger in the Force. Another casualty was the Chiss Grand Admiral. Thrawn, fed up with the petty power struggles wrecking the Empire, gathered his fleet and abandoned Dreven. His public declaration stated he was dispatching his forces into the Unknown Regions to expand the borders of the Empire into the Unknown Region, creating a permanent Imperial presence in the far-away lands that Thrawn's people called home. He pledged to return at the conclusion of his mission and, as a final act before departing, promoted one Russel Canis to Grand Admiral and Chief Naval Officer. Thrawn, while he had indeed departed for the Unknown Regions with a sizable force to likely install Imperial rule, had also intended to weaken the Empire by leaving. He plotted to allow the petty politicians of the Ruling Council and the greedy warlords to kill each other and, when the dust settled, he would sweep in with his forces to clean up the mess and install his rule. But as of this writing, Thrawn has yet to return from the Unknown Regions and no contact has been made since his departure. What Thrawn discovered out in the Galaxy's rim is a mystery. Further purges occurred within the Council. Those who had aligned with Skellheim were executed by Darkstar, one prominent execution being Galenx. Darkstar intended to instill fear in the Council, believing it would force them to his will. He was wrong. Darkstar was found dead less than a month later. It has been rumored that Gordio Dekan was behind the assassination, wishing to see his granddaughter Venus freed from the grasp of Alaric. It is possible that Dekan was pushed to this act by an outside force, with possible links to Sabbathius Osbourne, who had met with Dekan sometime earlier. Whoever the true perpetrator was, it only served to further the interests of the ever-scheming Valak. After the death of Darkstar and the loss of so many prominent figures in the Ruling Council, the responsibilities of ruling the Empire fell upon Grand Moff Ariak Caldny. Level-headed, fair, and with a keen political mind, Caldny was what the Ruling Council had long sought. He refused to declare himself Emperor and immediately set about reforming the highly fractured Imperial government and military. Before coming to this position, Caldny was the regional governor that oversaw Dreven and its neighboring sectors. But Caldny arrived on the scene too late; by then many Imperials, whether they be civilian, military, or the Council itself, were so disillusioned and demoralized by the constant failed leaders that they were beginning to lose all hope for ever reclaiming their glorious past. Some commentators referred to these failed leaders as the “musical chair emperors” after the popular children’s game on Coruscant. They allowed Caldny to enact his reforms, but very few believed success was possible. Chapter Four Rebirth of the Jedi and the Coming Darkness While politicians in the New Republic were hard at work establishing a new galactic government, Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion and Jedi Knight, set out to reestablish the Jedi Order as his Masters intended. He taught rudimentary knowledge to his sister, Leia Organa Solo, but the duties and responsibilities of being a diplomat for the Republic forced her to forgo any serious training as a Knight. Luke was forced to hunt out new potential Jedi or, if he was lucky, discover any possible survivors of the Emperor's Purge, in order to revive the Jedi. It was during this quest for students that Skywalker would once again be brought face-to-face with a Dark Lord. Named Sabbathius Osbourne, this adept of the Dark side of the Force was one of Palpatine's Dark Jedi, powerful in the Force but not initiated in the ways of the Sith. Osbourne survived the fallout of the Emperor's death as he had been out on a mission to the Unknown Regions, having been given command of a small flotilla to carry out the Emperor's will. Osbourne returned to the Empire in 6 ABY and refused to accept the death of his Master. Distancing himself from the Empire's Ruling Council, Osbourne set out on his own to destroy the Republic in his own way. Osbourne's first act occurred on Etti IV. Han Solo, hero of the Republic, was arrested on Etti IV by Corporate Sector Authority officers under the command of Simone Drake. Solo's compatriot, Chewbacca, escaped Etti IV to warn the Republic of Solo's plight. Drake, sympathetic to the Empire, alerted Caldny of her prisoner. This set into motion the inevitable clash between the Empire and Republic over Etti IV. Caldny moved a fleet, led by Grand Admiral Russel Canis, into orbit over Etti IV. The Republic also mobilized a fleet under Admiral Jeralic. The two forces were forced into a classic showdown - sitting in neutral territory, the guns of the fleets were silent, yet eager to unload upon one another. As tensions mounted between the two enemies, diplomats from both the Empire and Republic bargained for Solo. Drake, however, had no intention of turning Solo over to the Republic. She was contacted by Osbourne and met with the Dark Lord. Osbourne wasted no time in taking Solo for himself. Departing in his shuttle, Osbourne secretly escaped Etti IV with Solo in tow, with no one the wiser. Unfortunately for the Corporate Sector, cooler heads did not prevail between the Empire and Republic - the cease-fire was brought to an end several days after Solo's extraction, resulting in the titanic Battle of Etti IV. Although Canis was killed as a result of the battle (he survived the destruction of his flagship, but died weeks later from radiation poisoning), the Imperial fleet emerged victorious in the confrontation, the first major victory for the demoralized Empire in years. The Republic eventually discovered that Solo had been taken, and the hunt for his captor began. It was during these days that Skywalker first met one Jessalyn Valios, a flight technician for the Republic. While Skywalker did not immediately recognize the woman's potential, she would later become his first apprentice in the New Jedi Order. Their first encounter came during the hunt for Solo - the young technician stowed away aboard Skywalker's vessel on their journey to Palanhi, where Osbourne had been pinpointed. Over the course of the mission Jessalyn befriended the Jedi and the two built a close relationship, one which would later blossom into master and apprentice. On Palanhi, the Skywalker twins confronted the Dark Lord and fought; Osbourne fled, defeated, and Solo was later rescued. But the Dark Lord was not about to give in. Recognizing Valios' relation to Skywalker, Sabbath kidnapped Valios in a plan to lure Skywalker into a trap. Aboard his private spaceship, Osbourne awaited Skywalker's arrival, his hostage Jessalyn safely in his hands. But Luke persevered and overcame the Dark Lord, slaying him despite heavy injuries to himself, losing his synthetic hand. Rescuing Jessalyn, the two escaped the spaceship moments before it self-destructed. Luke would later recognize the Force potential inherit within Jessalyn, but found himself nervous to tell her so - he did not feel ready to take on his first apprentice. As time went on and the bond between the two grew, Skywalker would take Jessalyn as his first apprentice, and their journey together would take them across the galaxy in training, from Yavin IV to Tatooine, where, under the guidance of the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jessalyn constructed her first lightsaber. A new hope seemed to be rising for the galaxy. But the darkness continued to build under the light. Several months after the victory at Etti IV, the Ruling Council unanimously voted to remove Caldny from his post - a move carefully orchestrated by Bacharan Valak. Caldny accepted the decision and retired, returning peacefully to his homeworld where he remains today. Valak's planning was finally realized; with Caldny gone and the threat of the remaining Dark Side Adepts removed, Valak took his seat on the Council's ruling chair. Valak immediately set about restructuring the Empire, his intensive knowledge in the military proving valuable in winning over the hearts of the military and setting it on a new course of victory. Just weeks after ascending to power Valak initiated two successful military campaigns to begin restoring Imperial authority in the Outer Rim - first was an invasion and occupation of Tatooine that brought down the infamous V'ez-Tcha crime syndicate, and second was an invasion of Sullust. The Imperial fleet initiated a blockade of Sullust, hoping to hold control of the world and its shipyards in order to restore Imperial influence in the region. Borsk Fey'lya, a prominent Senator in the Republic, was captured during the invasion. The blockade of the world would endure a whole month; a New Republic task force led by General Beaubos Calhoun eventually liberated the world and Fey'lya, but they found a grizzly sight: once Valak realized the military could not hold on to Sullust indefinitely, he ordered the mass-execution of entire population centers on Sullust. Millions of Sullustans died in the act of genocide. The horrors of the act awoken the Republic Senate to the terrors that the Empire's new leader was willing to enact to achieve his purposes. Calls for a renewed offensive against the Imperial Remnant were made through the halls of the Senate, but they ultimately fell on deaf ears; the Republic would not commit to a full-scale war. With the Imperial power struggle still raging, with countless "warlords" still active, Republic High Command simply did not see the need to sacrifice the lives of any more Republican soldiers. But by 7 ABY, with Valak securely in power, these rogue Imperial warlords began to diminish. Many were convinced to join Valak, while others were simply annihilated by Valak's campaigns. One such prominent campaign involved extensive military action in the Inner Rim where warlord Jard Kisal reigned with his Imperial Fifth Fleet. The Battle of Denon saw the devastation of hundreds of square mile of city by the Galactic Empire and Kisal's forces, but would ultimately result in the death of Kisal and the subjugation of Kisal's forces into Valak's Empire. But Valak realized the dangers of holding on to a world as populated as Denon so close to the Republic; he pulled all his forces from the Inner Rim and drew them back into Imperial Space. Valak knew that to truly destroy the Republic, as his Master did years earlier, he would have to deal with the Jedi, whose numbers had continue to slowly grow. He dispatched his Noghri commandos to kidnap Jessalyn Valios on Tatooine. Valak hoped to lure out Skywalker and kill him, but his plans were foiled when Skywalker rescued Valios while in transit to his palace on Dreven. Valak would not give up on the Jedi, but in the mean time turned his attention on his new pet project: the vaunted Death Star III. Chapter Five Death Star Rising Forcing the Ruling Council to approve his plans for a third Death Star was initially difficult for the new Imperial leader. Ars Dangor and Sate Pestage, two of the more prominent leaders of the Council, were completely opposed to the new project. The plan would nearly exhaust the already dwindled Imperial vaults, and devote immense manpower and resources to a project that has, in the past, already proven ineffective. But Valak insisted that the weakened Empire needed a new symbol of power and order to rally behind and to instill fear back in the Republic. He brought Bevel Lemelisk, the renown designer of the previous two Death Star projects, and laid forth the new blueprints for the Advanced Death Star, attempting to ease the fears of the Council; they would do away with the previous design flaws, making an implementable fortress that would not suffer the same fate as her predecessors. Eventually Valak gained enough support, with much help from Crueya Vandron and Count Dekan, to proceed with the project. However, despite the Council's reluctant approval, Valak had already begun construction of the new Death Star over Kiltor III, deep in Imperial space, beyond the eyes and ears of the Republic. He had every intention of building his new Death Star with or without Council approval. Analysis of the Death Star's remnants over Sluis Van indicate that construction began in late 6 ABY, nearly a year before official construction began; Valak had indeed gone behind the back of the Council, and had done a good job in concealing it. But by mid 7 ABY, construction was at a standstill. Resources were low. To finish construction, Valak needed to acquire massive resources; to this end, he initiated Operation Stardust. Valak assigned Morlok Adlerson to lead an armada to seize Pride-1, the vital trade nexus at the apex of Tallon's Cut, a vital and profitable trade route near Scythia in the territory of the Griffon Alliance. The Empire seized Pride-1 from the Griffons, capturing the vital trade route and seizing large amounts of resources. With Pride-1 under their control, the Empire made large profits and garnered enough resources to help finish the Death Star. Renamed Redemption, the hub became the focus of attention for the Republic; they could not allow the Empire to hold such a vital trade nexus. Luke Skywalker infiltrated Redemption, but was captured by Valak's agents and transferred to Athaniss, where he met face to face with the Dark Lord. Valak used Sith magic to severe Skywalker's connection to the Force, leaving him numb to it. While Luke was ultimately rescued, hid inability to connect to the Force severely weakened the newborn Jedi Order. Valak's plans to destroy the Jedi were well underway, and his plans to unleash the Death Star were nearing completion. But one obstacle remained in Valak's path: the Vigilant Movement. Category:Documents